Last Friday, Inkwell Editorial's first ebook writing and publishing tournament concluded. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, but was so successful that it's going to be an ongoing part of our service offers.
Note: Get details on next month's ebook writing and publishing tournament [http://bit.ly/dxXCNc].
So, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with developing a life plan? Well, some of the insights I gleaned from the tournament go hand-in-hand with this topic, which I'd planned to write on before I ever came up with the idea for the tournament.
Following are some of these observations.
Freelance Writers: 4 Lessons to Learn to Live the Life You Really Want
I. Life will always offer you excuses: Comments like the following highlight how Murphy's Law is always at work in life.
"Man it seems like as soon as your tourney started Clients started calling. I have cancelled all non essential activities. I am determined to complete this task successfully,"
And:
I'm thinking we should do this every month . . . everyone seems to have received more work as soon as they started to plan their ebook!
You can spend years giving in to life happenings like this - years that take you further away from your goal, not towards it. But, if you're really serious about your dream, you have to make time for it.
I look at it like this, the Power Superior (God, Buddah, Allah, etc.) challenging you to see if you're willing to sacrifice for it. So that's why, in my opinion, as soon as you set your mind on a goal it seems that roadblocks are thrown in your way.
Life Lesson to be Learned in Order to Live the Life You Want: Go over, under and around the roadblocks thrown your way. Stay focused on your goal.
II. Self doubt is part of any life change/challenge: Many participants in the ebook writing tournament doubted that they could really do this. But, almost all of them realized that while it can be challenging at times, this is something they could indeed accomplish.
One participant wrote, You and the writing community have been so right! Dah-ha.. I had a personal revelation this morning as I sat down to write. It's not hard, you just have to do it. Slap my head and call me silly, I'm moving forward in this Tourney.
Life Lesson to be Learned in Order to Live the Life You Want: Recognize self doubt for what is is (just another stumbling block (an emotional one) to test you. Accept it for what it is - and push forward anyway.
The more you accomplish, the faster the feelings of self doubt will dissipate.
III. Starting is half the battle: One of the things that surprised me about this tournament is how many said they needed the structure it provided. This structure gave them the will to get started.
Comments like the following were the norm:
I have to tell you, I love this ebook thing. I have been thinking about it for so long, yet never set aside the time to get 'r done. Thank you, thank you, thank you for hosting the tourney.
I'm the author of several epublications, but the noose is always procrastination... The challenges have been "starting" and taking time away from other money making tasks to create this new one...Thank you for the kick in the pants! I've completed my outline and have worked on six of the eleven chapters.
And:
I have needed the orderly autobahn of this Tourney. Its' time table doesn't leave me time to grapple with useless fears."
And:
I have really enjoyed this challenge because it usually takes me a couple of weeks to finish anything and having a plan to follow really does help.
What was fun to see was how many worked so well in this structured environment. It seems that starting was only half the battle. Once they got going, they basically took off of their own accord.
Life Lesson to be Learned in Order to Live the Life You Want: Start - whatever it is you want to do, just start. Don't worry about finishing, or how it will turn out, or what you will do after. Simply start.
IV. Great things happen when you dedicate yourself and work hard: I pushed the participants pretty hard during this tournament - and most of them rose to the occasion. And you know what? Great things happened, ie:
While I started out with one product in the beginning of this tournament, I wound up creating a couple of other ones and I sold copies of both today (one is a form; the other is an ebook).
And:
I was excited last night because I made 2 sales in 2 hours. Then I logged off at about 8.15pm. This morning I checked my email again at 6.30am (I couldn't wait any longer) and I'd made 10 more sales. That's 12 sales in 12 hours.
I have a potential client who may want to incorporate this [the ebook she wrote] into his training or perhaps a hard-copy book he's writing.
I've been writing as a part time/hobby/just learning about it person for a year, but this ebook tourney was the catalyst I needed to get serious about writing as a career. Tears are in my eyes, sweetheart. Thank you.
It's been an amazing push and I'm greatly inspired to now get more into ebooks and on line selling and article marketing. This print journalist and blogger can't believe she didn't put the pieces together sooner on what she could be doing online!!
Life Lesson to be Learned in Order to Live the Life You Want: Give whatever your dream is all you've got. You never know what will happen once you start. You see, the Creator/Power Superior puts wheels in motion when you do YOUR part.
Are You Serious?
Once He sees how serious you are, he then steps in and does HIS part. But, nothing happens without hard work and dedication.
Don't mean to be all religious and philosophical on you, but these are just what I believe.
I was telling my sister the other day that I've worked harder the last three months or so than I ever have in my life. And, not to get too personal but I don't have a significant other (or children). And to be honest, this not having a mate thing is not by choice. So it gets kinda lonely.
But I said to myself, "Yuwanda, why don't you take this what feels like empty space in your life and use it to press forward with your goals. God has given it to you for a reason, so use it judiciously."
And that's exactly what I've been doing --- and to be honest, the results have been quite amazing - financially and spiritually.
So I guess what I'm saying is, you can have the life you want - if you take the bull by the horns and work hard. Control what you can control.
Don't focus on what you can't, and maximize the time you have.
Really, that's all any of us can do. And the funny thing is, that is enough to get you on the road to living the life you really want to live.
P.S.: Don't forget to sign up to the 2nd Ebook Writing & Publishing Tournament [http://bit.ly/dxXCNc] and become a published author before the holidays! Because it's interactive, enrollment is limited.
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